ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. sharp — clever
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pit — a hole
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. row — a line
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. band — a music group
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. band — a ring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com